UGC Supported Orientation Programmes and Refresher Courses for Teachers to be Conducted

By UGC-Academic Staff Colleges (ASCs) during 2013-2014

The University Grants Commission, in pursuance of the National Policy on Education 1986 and its programme of
action, had set up 66 Academic Staff Colleges (s) in different Universities/ Institutions in the country. The Academic
Staff Colleges so established are conducting specially designed orientation programmes for newly appointed lecturers
and refresher courses for in service teachers.
The Orientation programme is intended to inculcate in the young lecturers the quality of self- reliance through
awareness of the social, intellectual and moral environment as well as to discover self-potential and confidence. The
orientation programmes contributes to the teacher awareness of the problems of the Indian society and the role of
education, higher education leaders and educators in the resolution of these problems to achieve desired goals in
national development.
The Commission has been providing cent percent financial assistance to the host Universities / Institutions to run the
courses mainly towards cost of resource persons, participants, books/materials, working expenses and salaries of the
UGC- allocated staff etc. as per the norms under the programme.

Eligibility conditions for the teachers to attend the course

Courses are convened for in service teachers who are eligible as per UGC- rules and regulations. The newly
appointed teachers may have to attend the orientation programme/course up to 6 years of continuous services and also
even after 6 years of service if the orientation programme has to be attended by the lecturers under career
advancement scheme. Then after a gap of one year, such teachers may opt for Refresher course. The eligibility for
attending Refresher course for teachers who have not attended earlier Orientation programme has been reduced to "two
years" from "five years". However, the gap in two successive Refresher courses should normally be "one year" and may
be relaxed if it is essential for the teacher to fulfill eligibility condition for his career advancement. The courses
conducted by UGC-s are only valid for career advancement purpose.
Lecturers working in the Universities and Colleges, who are included in the list of Colleges under Section 2(f) of the UGC
Act, even though they may not yet be fit under 12-B of the UGC Act, may be invited to participate in the Refresher
courses. It has also been agreed that teachers of colleges which do not yet come within the purview of Section 2(f), but
have been affiliated to a University for at least 5 years, be permitted to participate in the Refresher courses.
The temporary/contract teachers, who have been teaching for at least two academic sessions in an Institution which has
been affiliated to a University for at least two years may be allowed to participate in the Orientation
Programmes/Refresher Courses to enhance their skills.

All eligible teachers are essentially required to attend orientation programme and refresher courses as per the terms
of reference under the programme/course. The UGC's preference lies towards the teachers in attending the
course and not in considering or approving equivalence of courses as are requested by many teachers.
The Universities and Colleges will allow interested eligible teacher to attend the UGC-courses based on their eligibility
otherwise valid reasons will have to be intimated to the teachers concerned for none sending of teacher for the purpose
as the courses so organized for their teachers will ultimately benefit the university and college.

RESTRICTING OF COURSES USING EXPERTS OF EMINENCE AS RESOURCE PERSONS

In order to have national character in the programme and also to bring good quality and status in the courses, being
run all over the country on cent percent UGC financial support, an attempt has been made by the UGC that the course
content of the Orientation Programmes and Refresher Courses are prepared, restructured and also taught with the help
of Experts of eminence in the subject disciplines to be used as Resource persons for ASCs.
The content of the Refresher course will have essential percentage of the core material in the subject discipline along
with required percentage of areas of emergence and priority, (both national and global), essential laboratory and
practical component, computer application and I.T. Contents, if required with relevant advancement to the subject
discipline.
The Orientation Programme provides opportunities for newly appointed teachers as well as for on service teachers to
make them familiar with the use of tools (software) and "Internet Literate" as Orientation Programme has I.T. based
contents
and
about
one
week
time
will
be
devoted
to
I.T.
based
contents
and
training.
The curriculum for the Academic Staff Orientation Course may have the five components with 144 contact hours,
i.e., 6 hours daily for 4 week programmes and 3 week Refresher Courses may have a minimum of 108 hours as already
communicated to the UGC. In addition, computer awareness and application of computers in teaching and research in
different areas as relevant for the subject disciplines. All UGCs have been requested to take steps to implement the
programmes/courses accordingly.
Courses
under
UGC-are
conducted
round
the
year
and
are
non-vocational.
Submission of requests by interested eligible teachers to the nearest UGC for attending the
programme/course
Teachers who are interested and eligible may submit their request/application through proper channel of the
employer for participation in the programme/course in their area / discipline directly to the nearest UGC- as per
allocation made by the UGC and posted in UGC Website www.ugc.ac.in. Each participant has to deposit Rs. 500/- as
Registration Charges (non-Refundable) to concern alongwith his/her application/request to ensure his/her
participation in a course/programme. No application/correspondence may be made to UGC in this regard by the
candidate/participants
teacher.

If, however, the subject discipline by chance is not covered in the areas of interest of the teachers in the State, the
teacher may go ahead with the next nearest UGC- where such discipline/area is allocated and submit the
request/application accordingly. Such teachers may also allow to participate in Orientation Programme having I.T. based
Contents irrespective of the subject/discipline he/she is teaching.
The sponsoring University/College will treat teachers selected for the programme as on duty with full pay and
allowances. The Commission has been providing cent percent financial assistance towards organizing such courses to the
host selected in the Universities/Institutions by the UGC.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE PARTICIPATING TEACHERS

The teacher participants may be paid AC-III Class railway fare (all trains) or AC Deluxe Bus fare on production of
railway tickets or other document in support. The participants may be provided free boarding and lodging by the
University. However, to cover the cost of their boarding/lodging the Commission will pay to the University Rs. 300/- per
day per outstation participant for "A" class cities, Rs. 250/- per day for other places and Rs. 100/- per working day per
local participant for hospitality services. In case only free lodging is provided, DA will be allowed @ 75% of the ordinary
rate of daily allowance.

COURSE MATERIALS TO THE PARTICIPANTS

In order that the participating teacher enjoy the teaching and also contribute, the selected participating teachers
may be provided course content and required material in printed form before joining the course.

ISSUE OF CERTIFICATE IN THE UGC DESIGNED COMMON FORMAT

All the UGC-s will issue Certificate in the UGC designed format common to all the successful teacher-participants for
the purpose in order to bring national character for the courses being run all over the country on cent percent UGC
financial support and with desired modification of the course contents, the Certificate may be signed by the concerned
University Vice Chancellor/Registrar, the Director, Coordinator of the UGC- as the case may be. A copy of the Certificate
was
already
circulated
to
the
ASCs.
The UGC- may even disallow issue of the certificate to the teachers on valid grounds.